Gary Martin of Goldfield Trim & Upholstery (Des Moines, IA)
What does being an upholsterer mean to you?
I view myself as a trimmer more than an upholsterer. The term trimmer carries over from the carriage industry as the title of the craftsmen who did seating, tops, and interiors on carriages. In my focus on antique vehicle restoration, I enjoy preserving historical details from the era of the vehicle. In that sense, I see my work as helping tell the story of vehicle history for each specific vehicle I’m working on.
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How did you get started in upholstery?
My interest started as a student at McPherson College in their Automotive Restoration Program. I completed an Associates of Technology Degree in Antique Auto Restoration. As part of my training, I receive basic instruction on vehicle upholstery techniques and was encouraged by faculty members to pursue that skill set. I worked in two different shops for a short time before launching my own shop.
What types of upholstery do you do?
My primary specialty is restoring soft trim items on vehicles 100+ years old. This includes making spring units, hand stuffed diamond tufting leather, repairing folding top irons along with the wood bows to fit into them, and researching details for the specific age and model of the vehicle. I also specialize in sewing and installing convertible tops on 1950s model vehicles and older.
With my emphasis on antique vehicles, the age range of those vehicles evolves. Currently we work on interiors items from the early 1900s through the 1980s. We have also recently started installing convertible tops on modern vehicles.
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How long have you been upholstering?
I completed my training in 1984 and started my business in 1986. I also taught Auto Restoration Upholstery at McPherson College for two years from 1998-2000.
What is your biggest consumer demand?
Making convertible tops on 1950s and older vehicles as well as installing convertible tops on 1950s and newer vehicles. The second biggest would be complete interior restoration on century vehicles.
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What is your favorite upholstery project you've done?
My top three would be a 1925 Duesenberg Model A sedan; a 1928 Hispano-Suiza touring; and a 1939 Packard V-12 convertible sedan.
What is the strangest item you've found in a restoration?
Aside from the common finding of rodent skeletons, some interesting finds have been 1) a very worn buffalo head nickel in a 1950’s vehicle; 2) a lead penny from the period when copper was in short supply; 3) factory inspection tags with persons initials on the quality control tags; 4) vehicle build sheets; 5) decades old gas station receipts; 6) candy or tobacco wrappers from long ago.
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Have you noticed any up and coming trends?
I have noticed more emphasis on decorative top stitching. On the negative side, we have less independent suppliers of interior components and it is becoming increasingly difficult to source natural fiber materials (besides leather). There are also fewer programs to teach upholstery skills than there used to be.
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What changes would benefit the upholstery industry?
The upholstery trade would benefit from a stronger sense of community. With no organized trade association there is no platform for raising a collective voice around topics or issues affecting the industry. One such issue is advocating for places of training where interested persons can learn the basic skills.
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Have you ever been featured on television, online, or in another publication?
My shop has been written about in a couple of small newspapers. Several vehicles that I have worked on have won national awards through specific car clubs and have been mentioned in club magazines. Two vehicles trimmed by Gary have been featured on the covers of general magazines; In February 2005, Rod & Custom featured a 1940 Ford Coupe, as well as being the feature article for that issue; In June 2005, Super Rod featured a 1958 Buick Estate Wagon. Three vehicles have been featured on the covers of club magazines; In August 2006, Classic Chevy featured a customized 1955 Chevy Bel-Air two door hardtop; In April 2023, the Generator & Distributor featured a 1918 Chevrolet touring which won the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America 2022 best representative vehicle for the era 1912-1928; In January/February 2024, the Antique Automobile cover featured a 1908 Mitchell Model G.
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Some answers have been edited for clarity.
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